61 AC&W Squadron
Why Was it Closed?
The following detail has been extracted from page 167 of a book called "The Canadair Sabre", by Larry Milberry. I have taken the liberty of altering the start-up and closing dates to reflect the true starting and closing dates of 61 AC&W Squadron – but the balance of the detail is word for word.
In August 1955 the Canadian Ground Radar Interception site commenced operation under the name "Yellowjack" and until January 1963 was to provide most of the control for the Canadian fighter squadrons during NATO exercises and normal proficiency flying. Although by NATO agreement, the official language to be used in the air was English, it was quite a relief to the Canadian pilots to finally have a reliable control agency, which would understand more than the normal English phrases used by all pilots when flying. Also, the controllers at Yellowjack became extremely proficient in their job, and it was with great regret that the squadrons said farewell to them when the agency closed down on 31 December 1962, because
"the CF-104 aircraft were to be strictly low-level, and thus would not require radar control".
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